Illegal miners rescued, then arrested

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Rescuers free some of the miners but some were still underground trying to avoid arrestStr/ EPA

Ruth MacleanSouth Africa

Published at 12:01AM, February 17 2014

Eleven men were rescued from an abandoned pit in South Africa last night — only to be arrested for illegal goldmining. Nineteen of their colleagues were apparently preparing for a second night underground to avoid emerging into the hands of police.

The rescued men said they had been combing the disused and dangerous mine for overlooked nuggets on Saturday when they ran into another group, who tried to rob them and then threw boulders down the shaft, blocking it.

They were trapped until Sunday morning, when police checking the area for illegal rubbish dumping heard their shouts.